RAN

IMSI-Based Handover Description

Issue 01

Date 2008-05-30

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IMSI-Based Handover Description Contents

Contents

1 IMSI-Based Handover Change History.................................................................................1-1

2 IMSI-Based Handover Introduction ......................................................................................2-1
3 IMSI-Based Handover Principles ...........................................................................................3-1
3.1 Shared Network in Connected Mode ............................................................................................................3-1
3.1.1 Information About Authorized PLMNs and SNAs ..............................................................................3-1
3.1.2 Information About the SNAs that the LAs Belong to ..........................................................................3-1
3.2 Principles of IMSI-Based Handover .............................................................................................................3-2
3.2.1 Mapping Between LAs and SNAs .......................................................................................................3-2
3.2.2 Mapping Between IMSIs and SNAs ....................................................................................................3-3
3.2.3 Description of the IMSI-Based Handover Principles...........................................................................3-3
3.3 Signaling Procedure of IMSI-Based Handover .............................................................................................3-3
3.3.1 RRC Establishment ..............................................................................................................................3-3
3.3.2 Cell Update ..........................................................................................................................................3-4
3.3.3 URA Update.........................................................................................................................................3-4
3.3.4 Handover..............................................................................................................................................3-4
3.3.5 Relocation ............................................................................................................................................3-4
3.3.6 Common ID Handling..........................................................................................................................3-4

4 Reference Documents ...............................................................................................................4-1

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IMSI-Based Handover Description 1 IMSI-Based Handover Change History

1 IMSI-Based Handover Change History

IMSI-Based Handover Change History provides information on the changes between different
document versions.

Document and Product Versions

Table 1-1 Document and product versions

Document RAN RNC Version NodeB Version

Version Version

01 (2008-05-30) 10.0 V200R010C01B051 DBS3800V100R010C01B049

DBS3900V200R010C01B040

There are two types of changes, which are defined as follows:

z Feature change: refers to the change in the IMSI-based handover feature of a specific
product version.
z Editorial change: refers to the change in the information that was inappropriately
described or the addition of the information that was not described in the earlier version.

01 (2008-05-30)
This is the document for the first commercial release of RAN10.0.
Compared with draft (2008-03-20) of RAN10.0, issue 01 (2008-05-30) of RAN10.0
incorporates the changes described in the following table.

Change Change Description Parameter Change

Type

Feature None The parameter that is

change changed to be
non-configurable is
listed as follows:
Process switch

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1 IMSI-Based Handover Change History IMSI-Based Handover Description

Change Change Description Parameter Change

Type

Editorial General documentation change: None.

change z The IMSI-Based Handover Parameters is removed
because of the creation of RAN10.0 parameter
reference.
z The structure is optimized.

Draft (2008-03-20)
This is the draft of the document for first commercial release of RAN10.0.
Compared with issue 03 (2008-01-20) of RAN6.1, this issue incorporates the changes
described in the following table.

Change Change Description Parameter

Type Change

Feature None. None.

change
Editorial General documentation change: None.
change Implementation information has been moved to a separate
document. For information on how to implement IMSI-based
handover, see Configuring IMSI-Based Handover in RAN
Feature Configuration Guide

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IMSI-Based Handover Description 2 IMSI-Based Handover Introduction

2 IMSI-Based Handover Introduction

The function of shared network in connected mode is introduced in the 3GPP R5. This
function can be implemented at the Core Network (CN) or be substituted by the handover
based on the International Mobile Subscriber Identity (IMSI) through the RNC.
The IMSI-based handover means that Shared Network Areas (SNAs) are configured for each
UE on the RNC side and when a UE moves from one SNA to another SNA, the RNC decides
whether or not the UE is allowed to access the new SNA in compliance with the previously
configured mapping between IMSIs and SNAs. If the RNC decides that the UE is not allowed
to access the new SNA, then the UE cannot access the network in that area.
The IMSI-based handover feature can enable the UTRAN to control a specific UE for access
to a specific network.

Impact
z Impact on System Performance
None.
z Impact on Other Features
None.

Network Elements Involved

Table 2-1 describes the Network Elements (NEs) involved in IMSI-based handover.

Table 2-1 NEs involved in IMSI-based handover

UE NodeB RNC MSC Server MGW SGSN GGSN HLR

NOTE:
z : not involved
z : involved
UE = User Equipment, RNC = Radio Network Controller, MSC Server = Mobile Service Switching
Center Server, MGW = Media Gateway, SGSN = Serving GPRS Support Node, GGSN = Gateway
GPRS Support Node, HLR = Home Location Register

In RNC V200R009B063 and later releases, the corresponding license must be bought to enable the
IMSI-based handover feature.

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IMSI-Based Handover Description 3 IMSI-Based Handover Principles

3 IMSI-Based Handover Principles

The following lists the contents of this chapter:

z Shared Network in Connected Mode
z Principles of IMSI-Based Handover
z Signaling Procedure of IMSI-Based Handover

3.1 Shared Network in Connected Mode

Shared Network in Connected Mode describes the implementation of the function of shared
network in connected mode in the 3GPP R5. To support this function, the RNC obtains the
parameters from the messages and Information Elements (IEs) which are added to 3GPP R5
protocols 25.413 and 25.423.
The RNC decides whether the UE is allowed to get services in the new network according to
the information of the authorized PLMNs and SNAs and the information of the SNAs that the
LAs belong to.

3.1.1 Information About Authorized PLMNs and SNAs

According to the 3GPP TS 25.413, the optional IE SNA Access Information is added to the
RELOCATION REQUEST message and the COMMON ID message that the CN sends to the
RNC. The IE contains the list of PLMNs and SNAs that the UE is authorized to access. The
RNC stores the IE, which can be used during the handover of the UE.

3.1.2 Information About the SNAs that the LAs Belong to

z According to the 3GPP TS 25.413, the CN sends the INFORMATION TRANSFER
INDICATION message to the RNC, informing the RNC of the information of the SNAs
that the LAs belong to.
z According to the 3GPP TS 25.423, when the DRNC receives a RADIO LINK SETUP
REQUEST message or a RADIO LINK ADDITION REQUEST message from the
SRNC and the SNA information is configured in all the neighboring cells (including
FDD cells and GSM cells) of the target cell of the handover, the DRNC sends the SNA
information to the SRNC through a RADIO LINK SETUP RESPONSE message or a
RADIO LINK ADDITION RESPONSE message. The SRNC stores the SNA
information, which can be used during the handover of the UE.

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3 IMSI-Based Handover Principles IMSI-Based Handover Description

z According to the 3GPP TS 25.423, after the DRNC receives a cell update message from
the UE, the optional IE SNA Information, which contains a list of SNAs that the DRNC
target cells belong to, is added to the UPLINK SIGNALLING TRANSFER
INDICATION message that the DRNC sends to the SRNC.

3.2 Principles of IMSI-Based Handover

The IMSI-based handover is an alternative solution applied when the CN does not support the
function of shared network in connected mode.
The following mappings must be configured on the RNC to implement the IMSI-based
handover feature:
z Mapping Between LAs and SNAs
z Mapping Between IMSIs and SNAs
An example is provided in Description of the IMSI-Based Handover Principles to describe the
principles of IMSI-based handover.

3.2.1 Mapping Between LAs and SNAs

The relationship between LAs and SNAs is a multiple-to-multiple one. In other words, one
SNA may consist of multiple LAs, and one LA may belong to multiple SNAs.
Figure 3-1 shows an example.

Figure 3-1 The relationship between LAs and SNAs

In Figure 3-1,
z SNA 1 consists of LA 1, LA 2, LA 3 and LA 4.
z SNA 2 consists of LA 3, LA 4, LA 5 and LA 6.
z LA 3 belongs to SNA 1 and SNA 2.
z LA 4 belongs to SNA 1 and SNA 2.
Each LA is identified by Mobile country code, Mobile network code, and Location area
code.
Each SNA is identified by Sharing Network Area Code.

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IMSI-Based Handover Description 3 IMSI-Based Handover Principles

3.2.2 Mapping Between IMSIs and SNAs

The SNA that a UE is allowed to access is configured on the RNC side. Each UE is identified
by an IMSI. To configure more than one UE at the same time, set a range of IMSIs so that all
the UEs within the range are configured together. The range is set by The start of IMSI and
The end of IMSI.

The IMSI ranges can be set the same but cannot overlap each other.

The SNA that the UE is allowed to access is specified by the combination of the following
parameters: Mobile country code, Mobile network code, SNAC Configuration Indication,
and Sharing Network Area Code.

3.2.3 Description of the IMSI-Based Handover Principles

When a UE is moving, the RNC allows the UE to access the target cell if an overlapped area
exists between the SNA to which the LA of the target cell belongs and the SNA that the UE
(that is, the IMSI) is allowed to access. Otherwise, the RNC does not allow the UE to access
the target cell.
For example,
z Cell 1 belongs to LA 1, and LA 1 belongs to SNA 1.
z Cell 2 belongs to LA 2, and LA 2 belongs to SNA 2.
z Cell 3 belongs to LA 3, and LA 3 belongs to SNA 3.
z A range of IMSIs, 460001234100000 to 460001234200000, are mapped to SNA 1 and
SNA 2.
z The IMSI of the UE is 460001234150001, and the UE camps on cell 1 currently.
In this situation, when the UE moves, the UE is allowed to access cell 2 but cannot access cell
3.
Each UE belongs to a maximum of 6 Public Land Mobile Networks (PLMNs). Each PLMN
corresponds to a maximum of 32 SNAs. Each Location Area (LA) belongs to a maximum of
32 SNAs.

3.3 Signaling Procedure of IMSI-Based Handover

The procedures affected by the IMSI-based handover are RRC establishment, cell update,
URA update, handover, relocation, and common ID handling. In these procedures, the RNC
performs access control on the UE in compliance with the mapping between IMSIs and
SNAs.

3.3.1 RRC Establishment

The UE initiates the Radio Resource Control (RRC) establishment procedure by using an
RRC CONNECTION REQUEST message.
z If this message carries IMSI information, the RNC decides whether to allow the UE to
access the cell or not.
If RNC allows the UE to access the cell, the UE can access the cell.

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If the RNC does not allow the UE to access the cell, the RNC sends an RRC
CONNECTION REJECT message to the UE.
z If this message does not carry IMSI information, the RRC connection is established
normally.

3.3.2 Cell Update

When the UE initiates a cell update in the target cell, the RNC decides whether the UE has
access to the target cell or not.
If the UE does not have access to the target cell, the cell update fails.

3.3.3 URA Update

The URA update is the same as the cell update.

3.3.4 Handover
During a soft handover or a hard handover, the RNC does not send a MEASUREMENT
CONTROL message if the UE does not have access to a cell. Therefore, the UE does not
trigger a measurement report of that cell. As a result, the UE cannot be handed over to that
cell.
The RNC does not select the cell that the UE is not allowed to access as the target cell when a
blind handover is triggered.

3.3.5 Relocation
When the Target RNC (TRNC) receives a RELOCATION REQUEST message, it decides
whether the UE has access to the target cell or not.
If the UE does not have access to the target cell, the relocation failure procedure is triggered.

3.3.6 Common ID Handling

The RNC obtains the IMSI information of the UE from the COMMON ID message and
decides whether the UE has access to the current cell or not.
If the UE does not have access to the current cell, the RRC connection is released.

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IMSI-Based Handover Description 4 Reference Documents

4 Reference Documents

IMSI-Based Handover Reference Documents lists the reference documents related to the
feature.
z 3GPP TS 25.413: UTRAN Iu interface RANAP signalling
z 3GPP TS 25.423: UTRAN Iur Interface RNSAP Signalling

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